Checker-cleaning apparatus



May 25, 1965 c. J. BURCH 3,184,774

CHECKER-CLEANING APPARATUS Filed March 19, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Mil 5NTOR CHARLES J. BURCH Alla/nay y 5, 1965 c. J. BURCH 3,184,774

CHEGKER-CLEANING APPARATUS Filed March 19, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 2llVVF/VTOR CHA/PL [S J. BURCH A l/arney 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 C. J BURCHCHECKER-CLEANING APPARATUS May 25, 1965 Filed March 19, 1963 UnitedStates Patent 3,184,774 CHECKER-CLEANING APPARATUS Charles J. Burch,Lower Makefield Township, Bucks County, Pa., assignor to United StatesSteel Corporation, a corporation of New Jersey Filed Mar. 19, 1963, Ser.No. 266,294 12 Claims. (Cl. 15-317) This invention relates to animproved apparatus for cleaning furnace checkers.

Some types of furnaces, such as open hearths used in steelmaking, areequipped with checker chambers for preheating the combustion air. Thechambers contain checker bricks which are heated by directing productsof combustion from the furnace over them. Periodically the furnace isreversed, one set of checkers being used to preheat air while another isheating. As the furnace operates, soot and other foreign materialaccumulate in the checkers and must be cleaned out at intervals.Conventional practice is to insert lances manually through ports in thechamber wall and inject high pressure steam or water through thecheckers to clean them, although mechanical devices for handling lancesalso are known and have had limited use. Handling the lances manually isa difiicult and unpleasant task, yet machines used previously have notbeen entirely satisfactory. They propel a lance in and out a port withstraight-line movement, but do not allow an operator otherwise to guidethe lance. Sometimes an operator needs to tilt a lance or swing itsideways within a port to clear an obstruction, yet previous machineslack any provision for such movement.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improvedlance-handling machine which effectively supports a lance and propels itinto and out ports in a chamber wall, yet allows an operator both tocontrol movement of the lance and to guide it as needed.

A further object is to provide an improved machine of the foregoing typewhich has flexibly supported powerdriven pinch rollers for propellingthe lance and allowing it to tilt or swing sideways within a port.

A further object is to provide an improved checkercleaning apparatus inwhich the lance itself carries control means for the lance-handlingmachine and handles for guiding the lance within a checker chamber.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I haveprovided improved details of structure, a preferred form of which isshown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a partly diagrammatic end elevational view of alance-handling machine constructed in accordance with my invention andpositioned adjacent a conventional checker chamber;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the machine on a larger scale;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the machine;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical section on line IVIV of FIG- URE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a side elevational view of a lance of my preferredconstruction; and

FIGURE 6 is a vertical section on line VI--VI of FIG- URE 5 FIGURE 1shows diagrammatically a portion of a conventional checker chamber whichincludes a wall 10 and checker bricks arranged in vertically spacedcourses 12, 12a and 12b. The wall has vertically spaced series of ports13, 13a and 13b located respectively above the uppermost course and inalignment with spaces 14 and 14a between the other courses. A portablemachine 15, constructed in accordance with my invention, is positionedadjacent wall 10 to insert a lance 16 through the different ports. Whenthe lance is inserted in the uppermost or middle ports 13 or 13a, Imount a removable platform 17 3,184,774 Patented May 25, I965 behind themachine to accommodate the operators (preferably two). When the lance isinserted in the lowermost ports 13b, I remove the platform. The plaformrests on portable stands 18. Preferably the platform carries a removablesupport 19 for steadying the overhanging portion of the lance, since thelance may have a length of forty feet or more.

As best shown in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4, my lance-handling machine 15includes a rigid chassis formed of a base 21, four angle iron columns 2222a, 22b and 22c extending upwardly from the base, and cross members 23,23a, 23b and 230 interconnecting the columns above the base. The fourcolumns define a vertical frame which is square when viewed from above(FIGURE 2). The chassis is supported on wheels 24. Preferably themachine is selfpropelled, and the base carries a conventionalbatteryoperated drive motor 25 and battery 26 for this purpose. The sideof the frame away from the furnace carries outriggers 27 and 27a fixedto the lower portions of columns 220 and 22b respectively and reinforcedwith gussets 28 and 28a. The outer edges of the outriggers carryvertical sleeves 29 which receive retractable legs 30. When a lance isinserted in the uppermost ports 13, I lower these legs into engagementwith the floor beneath the machine to assure stability and preventoverbalancing. Otherwise I raise the legs to an inoperative positionclear of the floor. I retain the legs in their different positions withpins 31 removably inserted in transverse openings in the sleeves andlegs.

Base 21 carries a pedestal 33 outside columns 22 and 220. The pedestalcarries a winch 34 and a drive motor 35 connected to the winch through aspeed-reducer 36. The outer face of columns 22b and 220 carry alignedbearings 37 in which a shaft 38 is journaled. The shaft carries a drum39 of relatively large diameter and drums 40 and 40a of smallerdiameter. A cable 41 is wound around winch 34 and drum 39 for drivingthe shaft from the winch. Pulleys 42 and 42a are journaled to crossmembers 23 and 23a respectively adjacent the upper ends of the columns.Vertically movable left and right roller housings 43 and 43a are looselyconfined within the frame formed by the columns. A cable 44 is woundaround drum 40, reeved over pulley 42 and attached to a bracket 45 whichextends from the outer end of the left roller housing 43. Another cable44a bears a similar relation to drum 40a, pulley 42a and housing 43a,whereby rotation of shaft 38 raises or lowers both housings. Since thecables are flexible, they allow the housings to tilt and also movehorizontally within the confines of the frame. The sides of the housingcarry semicircular bumper plates 46 which are engageable with the insidefaces of the columns. Preferably the ends of the housings carry safetyhooks 47 flexibly attached thereto and engageable with slots 48 in thecolumns to prevent accidental dropping, yet not interfere with thelimited tilting and horizontal movement.

As best shown in FIGURE 2, coupler rods 50 are fixed to the sides of theleft housing 43, and sleeves 51 are fixed to the sides of the righthousing 43a. The sleeves slidably receive the rods to hold the twohousings in alignment. A double-acting fluid pressure cylinder 52(preferably pneumatic) is fixed within the left housing 43 and containsa reciprocable piston and piston rod 53. The end of the rod is connectedto a clevis 54 fixed Within the right housing. Preferably the piston rodis formed of two parts connected by a sleeve 55, whereby its effectivelength can be varied. Reversible drive motors 58 and 58a and speedreducer-s 59 and 59a operatively connectedtherewith are mounted withinhousings 43 and 43a respectively. Pinch rollers 60 and 60a are fixed tostub shafts 61 and 61a which extend upwardly from the speed reducers 59and 59a. It may be noted that the housings form a support for the pinchrollers.

Lance 15 is held between rollers 69 and 60a. Cylinder 52 has the usualconnections which lead to asuitable control valve (not shown) and thenceto a source of fluid pressure, preferably compressed air. When I wish toinsert .or remove ;a lance, I operate the cylinder in a direction toproject .the piston rod 53 and thus separate the housings 43 and 43a androllers 6.9 end 66a. When I wish to grip the lance, I operate thecylinder in the opposite direction to bring the housings and rollerstogether. I operate motors 58 and 58a to turn the rollers to propel thelance. I adjust the pressure so that the rollers normally move thelance, :but to allow slippage in the event the lance encounters anobstruction.

As FIGURES 1 and show, lance ldis formed of an elongated tube whichcarries a conventional nozzle 62 at the .end inserted in the checkerchamber. of the uppermost course 12 .are cleaned, it is prefer-able touse a lance which has a broad flat nozzle. When bricks of the othercourse are cleaned, it is preferable to use a lame which has a morenarrow rounded nozzle to facilitate getting it past obstructions. Ineither event the nozzle has a downwardly directed outlet. An inlet hose63 is connected to the outer end of the lance to supply steam or Water.The outer end of the lance also carries handles 64. Since the lanceswear rapidly and are expendable, the handles preferably are removable toenable them to be installed on new lances. As best shown in FIGURES 5and 6, an annular collar 65 and a pair of opposed keys 66 are Welded tothe lance. The handles are fixedto an annular hub 67 which fits aroundthe lance and has key-ways to receive the keys 66. The hub abuts thecollar 65 and on its upper edge carries a pivoted latch 68 which fitsover the collar to hold the handles in place.

A pair of radially extending braces 69 are fixed to the upper portion ofhub 67. These braces support a rectangular receptacle 70 which is openat its top. The receptacle is adapted to receive a switch box 71 whichhas push buttons for controlling operation of motors 58 and 58a. As bestshown in FIGURES 3 and 4, a bracket 72 projects from columns 22 and 220and carries motor starters 73 and 74,, a junction box 75 and a switchbox 76, which has push buttons for controlling the winch motor 35.Another junction box '77 is mounted on columns 22b near its lower end(FIGURE 3). A relatively long electric cord 78 connects the junction box77 and switch box 71. Column 22b carries cleats 79 around which'I windcord 78 when the machine is not in use. A series of rigid conduits -80carry electrical wiring between the junction box 77 and the motorstarter 73, between the latter and the proximity of the roller housings43 and 43a, between the switch box 76 and the motor starter 74, betweenthe latter and the winch motor 35, and between the junction box 75 andthe two motor starters. An electric cord 81 through which the machine isenergized is connected to the junction box '75. Bracket 72 also carriesa cleat 82 around which I wind cord 81 when the machine is not in use.Other electric cords 83 extend from conduits 861 to the roller housings43 and 43a. Since the electric circuits follow well-known principles, Ihave not shown nor described them in detail.

In operation, the machine 15 is positioned adjacent wall as shown inFIGURE 1, and platform 17 is mounted behind the machine and a support 19mounted on the platform. Winch 34 is operated to raise the rollerhousings 43 and- 43a to the top of the frame formed by columns 22, 22a,22b and 220, and the safety books 47 insorted in the uppermost notches48. Legs 30 are lowered into engagement with the floor. A lance 16 isinserted and gripped between rollers 60 and 60a by the steps alreadydescribed, and the switch box '71 is inserted in the receptacle 70 ofthe lance. Two operators standing on platform 17 grasp the respectivehandles 64, and one of them actuates a -switch in the switch box '71 tostart motors .58 and 58a. These motors drive the rollers 6t and Whenbricks 645a in a direction to propel the lance into the checker chamberthrough the uppermost port 13. The stream of water or steam is turned onto blow soot fromthe uppermost course 12 of checker bricks. Theoperators 5 guide the lance as it moves into the chamber, and in theevent it encounters an obstruction, they steer it past. The loosemounting of the roller housings 43 and 43a aflords the necessaryflexibility. If the obstruction is too large, the rollers can slipagainst the lance. After the lance 10 is fully inserted, one operatoractuates a switch in box 71 to reverse the direction of motors 58 and58a and Withdraw the lance, which thus makes a second pass over thebricks. After cleaning the uppermost course in this manner, theoperators lower the roller housings successively to their otherpositions and repeat the procedure to clean the other courses 12a and12b. In each instance they use a lance which has an appropriate nozzle62. They use :a shorter support 19 in cleaning the middle course, andremove the platform and support .in cleaning the lowermost course.

From the foregoing description-it is seen that my inven-tion affords asimple apparatus for cleaining checkerwork, yet allows flexibility whichprior apparatus lacks. The lance is :under full control of the operatorsat all times as it moves into and out a checker chamber. Thus the lancereadily moves :past obstructions and does not loosen bricks or otherwisedamage the checker chamber. 7 While I have shown and described only asingle embodiment of my invention, it is apparent that modifications mayarise. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited to the disclosure setforth but .only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: 1. A lance-handling machine comprising a base, a vertical framefixed to said base, a movable supPQrt loosely confined within saidframe, means on said base operatively connected with said support forraising and lowering it but allowing it to tilt and to move horizontallywithin the confines of said frame, pinch rollers carried by said supportfor rotation on vertical axes and being positioned at the same level,means carried by said support for separating said rollers horizontallyto permit insertion of a lance therebetween and drawing said rollerstogether to grip the lance, and drive means for said rollers to propel.a lance gripped therebetween.

2. A lance handling machine comprising a base, a vertical frame fixed tosaid base, a pair of housings loosely confined within said frame,flexible means supporting said housings from the top of said frame andpositioning the housings side by side but allowing them to move freelywithin the confines of said frame, means on said base operativelyconnected with said flexible means for raising and lowering saidhousings, respective pinch rollers carried by said housings for rotationon vertical axes and being positioned at the same level, meansconnecting said housings for separating said rollers horizontally topermit insertion of a lance therebetween and drawing said rollerstogether to grip the lance, and drive means mounted in said housings andoperatively connected with said rollers 0 for propelling a lance grippedtherebetween.

3. A lance-handling machine comprising a base, a vertical frame fixed tosaid base, a 'pair of housings loosely confined within said frame,flexible means suspending said housings from the top of said frame andpositioning the housings side by side but allowing them to tilt and to'move horizontally within the confines of said frame, a winch on saidbase,-means operatively connecting said winch and said flexible meansfor raising and lowering said housings, respective pinch rollers carriedby said housings for rotation onvertical axes and being positioned atthe same level, slidable coupling meansconnecting said housings, fluidpressure means operatively connected with said housings for separatingthe housings and rollers horizontally to permit insertion of a lancebetween the rollers and 7 5 drawing the housings and rollers together togrip the lance, and drive means mounted in said housings and operativelyconnected with said rollers for propelling a lance gripped therebetween.

4. A lance-handling machine comprising a portable base, columns fixed tosaid base and defining a vertical frame, a pair of housings looselyconfined within said frame, flexible means individually suspending saidhousings from the top of said frame and positioning the housings side byside but allowing them to tilt and move horizontally within the confinesof said frame, a winch and drive means therefor mounted on said base,means operatively connecting said winch and said flexible means forraising and lowering said housings, respective pinch rollers carried bysaid housings for rotation on vertical axes and being positioned at thesame level, coupling rods fixed to opposite sides of one housing,sleeves fixed to Opposite sides of the other housing slidably receivingsaid rods, a double-acting fluid pressure cylinder carried by onehousing, a rcciprocable piston and piston rod in said cylinder connectedto the other housing and operable to separate the housings and rollershorizontally to permit insertion of a lance between the rollers and todraw the housings and rollers together to grip the lance, and drivemeans mounted in said housings and operatively connected with saidrollers for propelling a lance gripped therebetween.

5. A machine as defined in claim 4 comprising also a portableself-propelled chassis on which said base is mounted.

6. A machine as defined in claim 4 comprising also outriggers fixed tosaid base and frame at one side thereof and retractable legs carried bysaid outriggers for preventing overbalancing.

7. A machine as defined in claim 4 comprising also a bracket fixed tothe outside of said frame, motor starters for both said drive meanscarried by said bracket, rigid conduits carriedby said frame for theelectrical wiring, an elongated cord extending from one of saidconduits, and a switch for controlling said second-named drive meansattached to said cord and adapted to be mounted on said lance.

8. A machine as defined in claim 4 in which the means operativelyconnecting said which and said flexible means includes a horizontalshaft journaled to the outside of said frame, pulleys journaled to thetop of said frame, drums carried by said shaft, and a cable wound onsaid Winch and on one of said drums, said flexible means being wound onthe other drums and reeved over said pulleys.

9. A machine as defined in claim 4 comprising also bumpers carried bysaid housings and engageable with said columns, and hook flexiblyconnected with said housings and engageable with said columns to preventaccidental dropping of said housings.

10. An apparatus for cleaning furnace checkers including an elongatedtubular lance and a machine for handling said lance, said machinecomprising a base, a vertical frame fixed to said base, a movablesupport loosely confined within said frame, means on said baseoperatively connected With said support for raising and lowering it butallowing it to tilt and move horizontally within the confines of saidframe, pinch rollers carried by said support for rotation on verticalaxes and being positioned at the same level and gripping said lance,means carried by said support for separating said rollers horizontallyto permit removal of said lance, drive means for said rollers to propelsaid lance, and means carried by said lance for controlling said drivemeans.

11. An apparatus for cleaning furnace checkers including an elongatedtubular lance and a machine for handling said lance, said machinecomprising a base, a vertical frame fixed to said base, a pair ofhousings loosely confined within said frame, flexible means suspendingsaid housings from the top of said frame and positioning the housingsside by side but allowing them to tilt and to move horizontally withinthe confines of said frame, a which on said base, means operativelyconnecting said winch and said flexible means for raising and loweringsaid housings, respective pinch rollers carried by said housings forrotation on vertical axes and being positioned at the same level andgripping said lance, means connecting said housings for separating saidrollers horizontally to permit removal of said lance, drive meansmounted in said housings and operatively connected with said rollers forpropelling said lance, and switch means mounted on said lance andoperaitvely connected with said drive means for controlling lancemovement.

12. An apparatus as defined in claim 11 including handles removablymounted on said lance, and a receptacle carried by said handles forremovably supporting said switch means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,903,650 4/33Snow et a1. 2,001,881 5/35 MacMichael 15-1041 X 2,262,364 11/41 Hugel eta1 15104.3 X 2,926,775 3/60 OBrien 15104.3 X 2,971,699 2/61 Reiss 239184WALTER A, SCHEEL, Primary Examiner,

1. A LANCE-HANDLING MACHINE COMPRISING A BASE, A VERTICAL FRAME FIXED TOSAID BASE, A MOVABLE SUPPORT LOOSELY CONFINED WITHIN SAID FRAME, MEANSON SAID BASE OPERATIVELY CONNECTED WITH SAID SUPPORT FOR RAISING ANDLOWERING IT BUT ALLOWING IT TO TILT AND TO MOVE HORIZONTALLY WITHIN THECONFINES OF SAID FRAME, PINCH ROLLERS CARRIED BY SAID SUPPORT FORROTATION ON VERTICAL AXES AND BEING POSITIONED AT THE SAME LEVEL, MEANSCARRIED BY SAID SUPPORT FOR SEPARATING SAID ROLLERS HORIZONTALLY TOPERMIT INSERTION OF A LANCE THEREBETWEEN AND DRAWING SAID ROLLERSTOGETHER TO GRIP THE LANCE, AND DRIVE MEANS FOR SAID ROLLERS TO PROPEL ALANCE GRIPPED THEREBETWEEN.